BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Last year, the Corban University softball team qualified for the NAIA National Tournament and was sent to Kentucky for the NAIA Opening Round. The 2018 Warriors learned earlier this week that they would be heading back to Kentucky, once again with an opportunity to win and advance to the NAIA World Series.
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Corban, winners of the NAIA Opening Round last year in Kentucky, will look to replicate that feat again this year, needing to defeat No. 1-seeded Marian (Ind.), No. 3-seeded Baker (Kan.), and No. 4-seeded Midway (Ky.).
Corban will face off against Baker (40-14) first in the double-elimination opening round, taking on the squad from Kansas at 11 a.m. CT (9 a.m. PT). The Marian (47-5) vs. Midway (23-20) contest will follow the conclusion of the Warriors' game.
Baker is competing in its first-ever NAIA Softball Opening Round. For Midway, it also marks the squad's first-ever appearance in the national tournament, while for Marian, the team has now appeared in five national tournaments, including four-straight with this year's bid. Corban fans may remember Marian from last year, as the Warriors defeated the Knights in the first game of the NAIA Softball World Series, 6-3.
Baker boasts the No. 1 pitcher in the NAIA based on strikeouts, Olivia Brees, as she has racked up 312 on the year and features a 1.18 ERA. She's allowing just a .168 opponents' batting average and has issued just 38 walks. Baker has outscored it opponents 279-171 on the year, hitting 34 home runs. The Wildcats earned the #10 at-large bid to qualify for the NAIA Opening Round.
Marian is led by the Crossroads League Co-Player of the Year Olivia Hoffman, as well as the Pitcher of the Year Breena Smith. Smith, who Corban faced last year at the World Series, owns a 0.91 ERA and has 202 strikeouts, only losing twice this year with a 23-2 overall record. Hoffman, a speedy leadoff hitter for the Knights, owns a .449 batting average on the year with 71 hits and 46 runs scored. Marian earned a berth in the national tournament via winning the regular season conference title.
Midway, which will be playing in its home state for this Opening Round, booked its ticked to nationals by winning its conference tournament in walk-off fashion against Point Park in extra innings, 8-7. The Eagles have two first-team all-conference players in Carly Benz and Kelsey Gravens, with Benz leading the team with a .375 batting average, while Gravens is hitting .370 at the dish.
Corban is led by Maddy Melton at the dish with a .377 batting average and a team-best 63 hits. In addition, Mahina Chong owns a .363 batting average with 62 hits, while Jessie Isham has blasted eight home runs and hit for a .355 batting average on the year. Sabrina Boyd leads the way in the circle with an 18-7 overall record, throwing 21 complete games with nine complete-game shutouts and a 1.86 ERA. Additionally, Alyssa Vidal has been solid out of the bullpen for the Warriors as of late, owning a 1.83 ERA with a 2-1 record. The Warriors received the No. 6 overall at-large bid to the opening round.
The winners of each of the 10 NAIA Opening Round sites will advanced to the 38th annual NAIA Softball World Series in Clermont, Fla., slated for May 25-31.
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